Strategic Communication in Advertising
Communication 400XXXX
Monday 8:10 to 10:40 p.m.
Room: MCK 101
Semester: Fall 2015
Pilar McKay, Ph.D.
Office: McKinley 308
Email: pmckay@american.edu
Office Hours:
• Monday 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Tuesday 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
• Thursday 1:30 p.m. to 2:30
p.m.
• Wednesday 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.
DOWNTOWN AT 1776
• Also by appointment
Class Description
An ad, conceived by a strategic communication team, has a modest start. A
sketch. A tagline on a napkin. A crosstab of consumer data. A client’s frantic
phone call. An ad may try to change behavior, to raise awareness of a brand or
cause, or to persuade you to purchase something (sometimes an ad does all
three). And sometimes an ad does something truly remarkable – it becomes a
part of culture.
This class review how an idea becomes advertising messaging. We will review
how communication strategy, branding, ethics, history, and research shape our
advertising. In this class, you will learn how an ad is created – from strategy to
messaging to production to execution. You will use tools that communication
professionals use (SIMMONS!). You will make an ad. Ok, you’ll make more than
one. You will use quantitative data to develop strategy. You will use qualitative
data to make sense of real-world communication issues. We will learn how to
evaluate, create, and support strategic communication in advertising as Public
Communication practitioners.
Course Student Learning Objectives
• Learn messaging strategy for advertising campaigns
• Critically think about real-world communication challenges in advertising
• Understand how to develop messaging supported by quantitative and
qualitative data analysis
•
•
Learn about the historical and cultural foundation of the advertising
industry
Understand ethics, legal, and cultural issues in advertising
Course Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcome
Students will be able to investigate,
critique, and evaluate claims
Students will be able to collaborate
and identify multiple and diverse
perspectives
Students will be able to demonstrate,
implement, create, and apply
innovative thinking
Students will be able to analyze,
synthesize, and evaluate
Students will be able to describe,
compare/contrast, and critically
examine
Students will be able to demonstrate
quantitative literacy and symbolic
reasoning
Students will be build aesthetic
sensibility
Students will be able to present and
support an argument verbally
Students will be able to apply ethical
reasoning skills
Assessment Measures
Discussion
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Final Pitch, Discussion
Discussion, Mini-Ad Agencies, Flash
Assignments
Texts
Assigned Readings are posted on blackboard
Morrison, D. and Griffin, W. (2010) The Creative Process Illustrated: How
Advertising’s Big Ideas are Born. HOW Books.
Grading policies & weights
Class Participation
Quizzes (3)
Flash Assignments
First Client
Second Client
Third Client
10%
15%
20%
10%
15%
30%
Grades will be assigned as the following:
A : 95-100%
A-: 90-94%
B+: 87-89%
B : 84-86%
B-: 80-83%
C+: 77-79%
C : 74-76%
C-: 70-73%
D : 67-69%
F: 0-66%
Graduate Students have a 600-level addendum to this grading
schema. Please see your additional class requirements.
Blackboard
I will be using Blackboard for this course. Syllabus, assignments, handouts, and
lecture notes used in class will be posted. There is a student help section on the
home page of Blackboard that will explain how to enter the system.
Course policies
Laptops are allowed in class for note-taking purposes only. Cell phones should
be on mute or turned off completely. If you have a personal emergency and
need to access your phone, then tell the professor before class about your
circumstances.
If caught on unrelated social networking sites, then student will have a threestrike policy until laptop can no longer be used with access to the Internet.
Please refrain from using social networking sites unless for class purposes. Trust
me, they (comments, event invitations, return likes) will be there when you log in
after class.
Policies/practices of American University, SOC, & the Department
Academic Integrity
This class follows the Academic Integrity Policy at American University, which
holds students accountable for the integrity of the work they submit. Students
should be familiar with the Policy
http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code.cfm and know they are
responsible to learn about instructor and general academic expectations with
regard to proper citation of sources in written work – APA citations for academic
work. Be mindful that any violations of the Academic Integrity policy will be taken
to the AIC Administrator.
It is not permissible for any student to submit the same material, with
substantially the same style, structure, or wording, to instructors in two or more
courses.
Religious Observances
American University’s religious observances policy, found at
http://www.american.edu/ocl/kay/About-Us-Religious-Holy-Days-Policy.cfm.
Students are provided an opportunity to make up any examination, study, or
work requirements that may be missed due to a religious observance provided
they notify their instructors before the end of the second week of classes –
please send this notification through email to the professor.
Use of Student Work (FERPA)
The professor will use academic work that you complete this semester for
educational purposes in this course during this semester. Your registration and
continued enrollment constitute your permission.
Attendance
There are fourteen weeks in this semester. Please attend class—your grade and
academic achievement in this class will be determined by your attendance. If
you have an extenuating circumstance (e.g. illness, family emergency, business
trip, etc.) please let me know in an email as soon as you possible either before or
immediately after class meets. After one unexcused absence, there will
be a letter grade reduction on your overall grade (because you will
receive a zero for participation). Be mindful: This would reduce an
A to a B, a B to C, etc.
Emergency Preparedness
In the event of an emergency, American University will implement a plan for
meeting the needs of all members of the university community. Should the
university be required to close for a period of time, we are committed to
ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our
students. These may include altering and extending the duration of the
traditional term schedule to complete essential instruction in the traditional
format and/or use of distance instructional methods. Specific strategies will vary
from class to class, depending on the format of the course and the timing of the
emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to students via
AU email and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of
any absence. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and
keeping themselves informed of emergencies. In the event of an emergency,
students should refer to the AU Student Portal, the AU Web site (www. prepared.
american.edu) and the AU information line at (202) 885-1100 for general
university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty and/or respective
dean’s office for course and school/college specific information.
This class will follow directions from the University – if campus is closed and
classes cancelled, then this class will also be cancelled – including assignments
that would be due that day.
Mandatories
APA CITATIONS for academic papers
AP for all else
Good Writing and Mechanics for ALL ASSIGNMENTS
Questions if you are confused: pmckay@american.edu
Call Sheet: Strategic Communication in Advertising
Schedule/readings subject to change
Week
Day
Topic
Week 1
8/31
Introduction to
Advertising
History of Advertising
Week 2
Week 3
9/7
9/14
NO CLASS
Strategy and Brands
Week 4
9/21
Insight Gathering
Week 5
9/28
Creativity
reading
Week 6
10/5
**AD WEEK KEYNOTE**
1800 Massachusetts
Avenue
Perseverance: The
Unsung Hero of Creative
Vision with Dick
Durrance
6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Creativity: Design and
Production
Legal and ethics in
advertising
Political Advertising
Week 7
Week 8
10/12
10/19
Accounts
Social issues in
advertising: Multicultural
Advertising
Big Idea
Social Cause Advertising
Ogilvy
Case Studies
Connection Planning
Working in Advertising
Workshop: Grad Student
Lectures
Final Pitches
Convergence
Week 9 10/26
Week 10 11/2
Week 11 11/9
Week 12 11/16
Week 13 11/23
Week 14 11/30
Reading
Quiz
Porter and
King
Steel
X
Code of
Ethics
Ideation
SC Reading
Client
First
Client
X
Second
Client
Resume
X
Third
Client
No final exam: Final Project due last week
Assignment and Class Participation Details
Readings: Must be completed by lecture time. (i.e. Porter needs to be read for
the second lecture)
Class Participation: Attendance to class and being involved in class discussions
will help you achieve 10% on this part of your grade. You will also see how
important class discussion is for your achieving learning goals and outcomes in
this class. The following constitutes class participation: attendance, participating
in class discussions or activities, and participating in online discussion threads.
Students are expected to attend all classes. If you must miss a class, for family
reasons, personal reasons, illness, and religious holidays – please let the
professor know as soon as possible.
Class: Class will be split into three parts:
1. New, Good & Mediocre is a review of advertising from the week before.
Submit examples of new, good & mediocre ads on twitter, facebook, and
tumblr to be included in that week’s recap
2. Lecture will be about the material that is scheduled that day. We will
discuss the readings as well as review industry-specific case studies. This is
where we learn the theoretical, historical, and cultural foundations of
advertising. This part of class is interactive – so please participate!
3. Workshop is a part of class where you will work with your agency on client
projects and flash assignments. This is the applied communication part of
class.
At all times, please be prepared to participate by asking questions or, at times,
be involved in discussions about the material.
Late Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted with a penalty of a
letter grade. These will be accepted throughout the semester, however, be
mindful that the letter grade penalty will be assessed to the final grade of that
assignment. Flash assignments are usually due the day of class, so difficult for the
to be late – but if you are absent, you can make up a flash assignment within
ONE WEEK of the class or else it becomes a zero.
Extra Credit: There will be extra credit in this class. The policies for these
assignments will be discussed in class. Extra will be offered, it will not be
supplied when demanded.
Submitting assignments: Assignments may be submitted at the
beginning of class in paper. Assignments may also be submitted BEFORE
class in person or via email. Assignments submitted via email after class will be
assessed a late assignment penalty of a whole letter grade. If you need
an extension please approve with professor twenty hours in advance.
Quiz: 3 Quizzes – 10 Questions Multiple Choice based on readings, handouts,
lecture, and course discussion. Due by the class that it appears in the syllabus.
Flash Assignments: Count for 2% of your grade and can happen WHENEVER!
Could be two in one class. Small activities related to course material. A few will
last longer than the class, but are NOT listed in the Syllabus. Just keep up with
your notes and you will be able to keep up.
Client Projects: Working with clients is essential to communication campaigns.
This class is focused on getting you as much real-world experience as we can in a
classroom setting, so there are three separate client projects that represent 55%
of your grade. You will create advertising for clients and also develop messaging
and creative strategies, conduct research, and present to clients. These will be
done in student agencies. You will be assigned your agency the first day of class,
along with your first project.
Flash Assignments
20% of grade
Throughout the semester
Objective: To help us learn quick thinking in strategic communication in
advertising.
Assignment: Challenges will be assigned during class (XTRA can be outside of
class, too) and you will have a limited number of time to deliver a product and
present your ideas to the class in as few as 2 minutes as much as 20 minutes?
Real-World Examples of Flash Assignments:
• Oreo ad during the 2013 Super Bowl
• Live tweeting (basically anything)
Flash Assignment Roll Call
Flash Number
Description
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Total
Date
Grade
Total Grade
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
20%
Client #1
10% of grade
Due September 22
Objective: To work on a strategic communication project with a real-world
client – in a “New Business” context
Assignment: You will have to develop a creative strategy and old and new
media executions for a social cause client
Deliverables:
• 1 page Creative Strategy Document
• 2 different media executions (one print and one other media – radio,
social, digital, etc.)
Creative Strategy Document:
• Creative Strategy Document will be a proto-creative brief. You will
include the following in the document:
o Background on the client project
o Creative Strategy
o Explanation of your campaign
o Credits for each executions
Credits: Include who the copywriter, artistic director, account planner, and any
other roles are on each execution - must be recorded
Please refer to the attached rubric for grading criteria
Client #2
15% of grade
Due October 20
Objective: To work on a strategic communication project with an on-campus
real-world client – in a agency/client relationship
Assignment: You will have to develop a creative strategy, two different media
executions, and a pitch presentation to a student group. Each agency will have
a different client.
Client Needs: For this project, you will meet with your client one-on-one and
also receive a client needs sheet to help you guide the project.
Deliverables:
• 1 page Creative Brief
• 2 different media executions (one print and one other media – radio,
social, digital, etc.)
Creative Brief:
• We will discuss Creative Briefs in detail on 9/29 where you will be given a
handout showing how to structure your brief. Use that as a guide for this
and the Client #3 assignment
Credits: Include who the copywriter, artistic director, account planner, and any
other roles are on each execution - must be recorded
Please refer to the attached rubric for grading criteria
Client #3
30% of grade
Due November 30
Objective: To work on a strategic communication project with an off-campus
real-world client – in a agency/client relationship
Assignment: You will have to develop a creative strategy, two different media
executions, and a pitch presentation to a client.
Client Needs: For this project, you will meet with your client one-on-one and
also receive a client needs sheet to help you guide the project.
Deliverables:
• A mini-campaign with at least three media executions
• 1 page Creative Brief
• Draft Media Plan – campaign being on the air for one year (2015-2016)
• Insight Deck – a report highlighting research conducted for this project.
You must conduct secondary research and primary research for this
project
• Presentation deck
Creative Brief:
• We will discuss Creative Briefs in detail on 9/29 where you will be given a
handout showing how to structure your brief. Use that as a guide for this
and the Client #3 assignment
Credits: Include who the copywriter, artistic director, account planner, and any
other roles are on each execution - must be recorded
Please refer to the attached rubric for grading criteria
Client Work Rubric
Please note the differences for each client assigned below
Creative Strategy (50% of grade)
_____ (1 to 10) Did the agency develop a cogent, well articulated creative
strategy? By Client #3 this must be a one to two word strategy statement (if it is
not, this grade will be discounted to start at 5 automatically) PROOF: Include
the creative strategy statement in the creative brief.
_____ (1 to 10) Did the agency define the objective of the advertising? Why
are we even conducting this campaign? This answer is often the result of asking
the client. Plan on asking the client this question during the first meeting.
PROOF: Include the objective in the creative brief
_____ (1 to 10) Did the agency address the public communication needs of
the client? How well did the strategy meet the objective? PROOF: Create
cogent, objective-addressing advertising
_____ (1 to 10) Did the agency use research through the insight gathering
process to build their strategy? Was the primary AND secondary research
appropriately used during this process? PROOF: (1) Include background in
creative brief (2) report on the research conducted in the pitch (3) provide each
client with a research brief (4) use secondary research (5) do primary research
either formative OR creative testing
_____ (1 to 5) Did the agency build the overall brand for the client? How well
did the advertising support the brand personality, image, and promise?
PROOF: Present the client brand personality and address how your campaign
enhances this…or how you have evolved it.
_____ (1 to 5) Did the agency use creativity and think outside of the box
during the strategy building process? PROOF: Create CONFIDENTLY
CREATIVE advertising
______ Subtotal
Notes:
Creative Execution (25% of grade)
_____ (1 to 25) Did the agency produce advertising that has correct
grammar and punctuation? THIS INCLUDES YOUR PITCH PRESENTATION,
RESEARCH BRIEFS, CREATIVE STRATEGY DOCUMENTS, AND YOUR ADS
PROOF: Do your job. Spell your client’s name correct.
_____ EXTRA (1 to 5) Did the agency produce aesthetically pleasing
advertising that was designed well? (Note: this portion of the grade COULD BE
decided by an independent panel of advertising professionals)
______ Subtotal
Notes:
Creative Pitch (25% of grade)
_____ (1 to 10) Did the agency practice and prepare an organized pitch?
PROOF: Proof is in the pudding, if the presentation is executed correctly, it will
show. PRACTICE AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN!
_____ (1 to 5) Did everyone in the agency help with the presentation?
PROOF: Assign everyone a role during the presentation
_____ (1 to 5) Did everyone in the agency introduce themselves and their
role in the agency? PROOF: We’ll know your name and what you did.
_____ (1 to 5) Did you sell your advertising campaign with CONFIDENCE?
PROOF: You support every idea, you excitedly present your advertising.
______ Subtotal
Notes:
________ FINAL GRADE
Notes (on back)